


Shedding Juvenescence

by loco



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Mana - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-01-25 05:16:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21350851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loco/pseuds/loco
Summary: Kyungsoo was 25 years old, yet he hadn't gone through the morphing that would give him the adult skin whence it should have happened when he was a teen.Would he ever gain his adult skin? If he would, at what cost?
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Do Kyungsoo | D.O
Comments: 67
Kudos: 140
Collections: EXO MONSTERFEST 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First and foremost, a huge thanks to Cla and Mash for helping me with this baby of mine. I don't know how to thank the both of you enough. Mistakes are mine and my apologies for the lacking writing.
> 
> To the prompter of T98, hope this turned out okay. It kinda ran away... ><
> 
> Enjoy~

Sitting cross-legged atop the wooden low table overlooking the immaculate chaos that was his creation, a wiry man basked in the serenity with a cup of his homemade white tea. From smatterings of herbs to flowering shrubs to towering trees, they were all meticulously planted if not transplanted in a design that would symbiotically help each other grow to their utmost potent efficacy. Their vibrant dispositions were the tale-tell sign that they were indeed flourishing.

It might look haphazard with walls of vines erected here and there, the many kinds of bodies of water littered the vast compound, but it was a sort of peculiar beauty appreciated by eyes that saw beyond the superficiality of robotic orderliness. A kind of endeavour to replicate what ought to be in the most organic way possible. Producing a breath-taking view that calmed the heart and reinvigorated the soul with underlying dynamism that emboldens the vitality of life.

Such intricacies was not something a typical 25 years old could achieve. However, Kyungsoo was no typical youth. At least not amongst the youth of the land where every adult had two forms and powers to boast. In this world where those in his stage of life looked nothing like him, he was an enigma. He sported no markings that symbolised his lineage. His neutral scent was of babies, his skin was the skin of children, the prepubescent juveniles, though he had long passed the age of puberty for his hereditary to manifest.

The Doh’s might be famous for being late bloomers with most of them carrying the signs of their creature form by the age of sixteen where usually for felids it would have been around eleven.

However, Kyungsoo was the sole exception.

The only one unchanged.

As such, despite the blood coursing through his veins originating from the purest of the royals of the felids, he was shunned. He was the sole entity the ruling family wouldn’t acknowledge. An existence erased from the public; a living breathing shadow. A feat made possible because their family were distant from the imperial life of the royal pride, sheltered from the glam and glamour.

His father, the youngest sibling of the ruling monarch, despised the wasteful and grandiose lifestyle of the royal pride. Hence, when the chance presented itself for him to live outside of the imperial life, he took it. Fate wrapped it in the form of the sole survivor of a massacred neighbouring royal pride, which believed in the simple minimalistic livelihood, falling in love with him. The monarchs had no choice but to tolerate their decision as they were keen on bringing in her royal lineage into their bloodline. A hope that the children born from their mating would be strong for they were in line for the throne as much as their cousins were.

The monarchs’ were proven right when Kyungsoo’s oldest brother, Minseok, morphed into a jaguar blessed with the control over coldness. It was not the basic power of frost, it was of a higher tier. For powers do have different tiers depending on their manifestation. During the first time, he almost turned their whole home into an iceberg sparing living beings in proximity. The precise preclusion showed that he had control. A control that shouldn’t exist during the first power burst. For this control alone, it was the highest form of the power of frost. Yet, that was not the limit of Minseok’s ability. There were more.

That was not the only time the monarchs were correct. A bittersweet fact to everyone's chagrined acceptance.

The second time was when his twin, Jongdae, who turned out to be a leopard had paralysed everyone within his sight. More than that, he could create lightning bolts and control those formed in the clouds because it was not coincidental that as everyone lay unconscious, thunders crackled in the sky, too close for comfort. Furthermore, electricity coursed through his skin like an extra protective layer, a soft tingling to those who touches him lest there were malicious intent laced. Another top tier power.

Minseok was more than amazing, he was exemplary. As such, the monarchs had a mountain high expectation on the twin. Then, Jongdae smashed their expectations to smithereens, all eyes were on fixed on Kyungsoo for him to be a hat trick.

It was suffocating.

Twins would normally hit their puberty together whether they were identical or fraternal. However, days passed, yet there were not an inkling of Kyungsoo morphing. Whenever he looked at Jongdae and saw the rosettes on his skin, he couldn’t help but stare at his own skin, bare. What was worse was that his nose couldn’t pick up the maturation of his twin whom had presented. He was fine when he couldn’t discern Minseok’s omegan scent, but not with Jongdae. He was not fine. Not when it was his own twin. They might not have shared the same placenta, yet they were inexplicably linked.

To his imperceptive nose, he couldn’t appreciate Jongdae’s alphan note. The security and safety that it should permeate were lost to him.

Yes, they smelt like family. Papa smelt like papa. Mama smelt like mama. Hyung smelt like hyung. Those would never change, but knowing that he was missing a significant essence that made them who they were, it was heart breaking.

It didn’t matter before.

Now, it did.

It mattered because he was supposed to be able to do it now. It was no longer an issue of waiting for his adulthood. He waited for adulthood, it came, but just not what he thought it would be. His senses were no different from children; prepubescent. Unable to appreciate the variance that maturation brought. For him, it was merely a numerical change, none of the physiological reformations that it entailed, neither did he morph into a felidae like he should, present as either an alpha or an omega, nor bless with his own brand of mana. None at all.

Doh Kyungsoo was a blank sheet of nothingness.

Maybe that was why his hair was black, when hair colour should be the representation of their mana’s colouration. Black for he was void of mana instead of having black mana.

A week passed with only building anxiety, Minseok brought Kyungsoo to meet Yixing to ensure he was healthy and safe, that there were no insidious deeds jeopardising his youngest brother’s livelihood. On the bright sunny day whilst the wind blew softly, they were given a life sentence. Kyungsoo was pink and healthy sans malignant grievances. Nothing blocked his dantian, he was in tip top shape besides the piling abjection.

In other words, he was simply an aberrant. A flawed aberrant stuck in limbo forever.

For some time Kyungsoo hated himself for not going through his morphing, for not presenting, for not maturing. Then, it got worse. The self-blaming intensified when he found out he was no longer considered a Doh. He was only Kyungsoo, the connection to his own family cut. For he was deemed a blasphemy by the royal pride.

The decree spread and the people he used to call friends dropped him. He felt so alone, hollow. He almost believed he was useless, undeserving to even be alive. However, there would always be a source of power amidst the dreariness.

In spite of the internal and external turmoil, neither his parents nor his siblings neglected him. Their love for him didn’t change. They didn’t treat him any different. His appa would poke between his eyebrows whenever he frowned, his umma harassed him to help her in the kitchen, Minseok insisted on bringing him everywhere and Jongdae would show-off whatever tricks he learned, but he never rubbed it in Kyungsoo’s face. It was the same. It spoke volumes of their genuine love for him, for that very reason, he could breathe.

Every night, the siblings slept in a pile. His older brothers’ tails wrapped around him. With them, he felt less and less alone, the hollowness that threatened to consume him kept at a bay as they filled it with their devoted love.

Yes, he was expunged from society, but that didn’t matter, he had his family. Their thorough acceptance, their relentless support, and their boundless love were the best balm. And now, that small circle included the Zhang’s, Kim’s and a few individuals who visited the apothecary regularly.

Their acceptance gave him the strength to accept himself. That he was not so abysmal after all.

He might not be like Minseok or Jongdae, who were not only powerful, had brilliant minds but also visually exquisite. The former being the tactician of their royal troops, a coveted all-omegan force. The latter was the effervescent scholastic poet, to a many chagrin –whisper of wasted talent of an outstanding alpha who should have joined the frontlines. Despite the whispers, they managed to shine brightly amongst the stars.

Yes, he was not as stellar, however, he had found his place in this garden and the apothecary. Yixing could heal anything while Junmyeon could soothe any souls. With those two coupled with Kyungsoo’s obsession with herbalism supporting them from behind the scenes, the very society that discarded the youngest former Doh was kept flourishing.

He was not useless after all.

Working at the apothecary, out of the imperial world of their pride, meant that he was in neutral land for all the sentient creatures. Be it the rare mythical kumihos to the long-lived dryads, as healers, Yixing and Junmyeon were untouchable, and the perimeter of the apothecary was given a special lease to be above the common law, a safe, no violence ground. Ergo, for Kyungsoo who worked with him, no one could attempt on his life so long he stayed in its perimeter. The very reason why Minseok introduced them when the threats towards him begun.

For Kyungsoo, the apothecary did not only save his life, it gave him a chance to blossom. Caring for the plants and concocting remedies, even orchestrating recipes that would make taste buds dance sans diminishing the potency of the medicinal properties was a dream come true for him. A niche that catered to his love for food and preference for simplistic purposive quietude.

It helped silencing the debasing whispers in the back of his mind. It put him out of the harm’s ways of sharp eyes and sharper invincible blade, zipping the crass mouths that prosecuted him as an abomination.

Most importantly, it paved the way for self-acknowledgement.

He no longer looked at his skin and wanted to bite them off.

He could smile, honestly smile from the bottom of his heart.

He had eased up as the self-deprecating weight on his being lifted.

Regardless, the hope that one day puberty would hit him remained.

It was a hope he didn’t dare to share with another, not even Jongdae. A secret want he kept locked in his heart, away from the scrutiny of the royals. Though it pained him every passing day his skin was unchanged, the hope kept him going. A promise of a redemption no matter how unlikely it was to materialise.

He wanted to at least be similar to his family in aptitude as he wasn’t physically similar. He was cut from a different mould. He stuck out like a black duck amidst swans. His parents, Minseok-hyung and Jongdae came from the same pattern, except him, the anomaly. They were brilliant and bright with their light and shades of blue hair, his blackness and lack of power was in contrast to them. Sometimes he questioned whether he was adopted. However, the connection shared uniquely by a pair of twin was unforgeable. It was definite that his parents’ blood flowed in him.

Whenever these kind of thoughts filled his mind, the whisperings of uselessness started to scream, sending his heart to beat in staccato.

In these moments and it was often for he had to deal with it on a daily basis, without Jongdae to mitigate the internal attack, his solace came in the form of humming a tune. This time, he had been fine-tuning a tune for two moons. A soft tune anchoring him back to reality, out of the pitfall of his mind.

Bit by bit, he resurfaced.

It was easier for Kyungsoo to wake up from the obscurity in this sanctuary of his. The aroma of herbs soothed his olfactory. The twittering of birds enriched caressed his eardrums. Then, there was the warm weight of Huchu and Meongmul bundling on his lap. He uncrossed his legs, planted his bare feet on the ground and burrowed his toes in it.

He focused on those details one by one, feeling them with each of his senses. The tendrils of awareness reattached to his body. Indeed, they served the best recipe for him to associate back to the land of the living.

Once the staccato slowed down, he sipped his tea, his perfectly brewed white tea whilst his free hand stroked Huchu’s spine. It smoothen the jagged edges of his raging emotions. Humming in between sips as his eyes refocused on the myriad of caring he needed to pour on his beloved plants.

Kyungsoo was about to finish said cup of tea when his tranquillity was disturbed by a loud voice bombarding someone with a multitude of questions, rudely jolting his precious cats out of their slumber. He was not familiar with the owner of the loud voice. However, the victim was probably Junmyeon since he was not clueless about all that was with the apothecary. Unlike the main healer who happened to be the one who started the venture in the first place.

Yixing was a healer buff, an outstandingly adept one, not to say Junmyeon was not one, just that the ever-confused unicorn was not as sensible as the bunny. As such, whenever there was a need for explanatory situations and such regarding the functionality of the apothecary, it fell on Junmyeon’s shoulders by default.

Kyungsoo sighed, it looked like his tea break was over. Time to trim and harvest the henna flowers and leaves, they were running low on the oils, and the long jack and green chireta parts too. A list of the things needed to be done for the apothecary occupied Kyungsoo as he cleared his tea set. He had to rearrange his garden management works to accommodate the restocking and he still needed to cook their lunch soon.

With the long list of work ahead, the presence of the stranger was defenestrated from his considerations.

Just as he was about to disappear into the beautiful chaos with his two cats by his legs, Junmyeon hollered his name, confirming that it was indeed Junmyeon being the guide. Kyungsoo turned to face the direction of the bunny’s voice. Looking at the twitchy eyelids and borderline fake smile he put up when he was stressed, Kyungsoo sighed. The bunny was in a pinch and with how things were, it was left to him to patch things up as per usual.

He turned his attention to the stranger and the words he wanted to speak came to a stuttering stop. His heart grew excitable whilst his lungs stopped mid inhale.

There, walking beside Junmyeon was someone picturesque. Someone with a beautiful face, yet the masculinity he exuded simply by the way he stood couldn’t be mistaken. In front of him was someone with the ideal balance of manliness and beauty personified; at least to Kyungsoo.

His breath hitched as something slammed hard into his heart, yet Kyungsoo couldn’t take his eyes away as he was spellbound.

The silver soft hair and fluffy tufts of furs complemented the silver scales smattering on his milky skin. Light danced on the silver, creating a shimmering effect, enhancing the splendour surrounding the creature. It was mesmerising. However, more than that, Kyungsoo was attracted to something else. The fullness of his cheeks with the curve of his thighs tempted Kyungsoo like nothing he could describe. For they were the signs that this man before him loved food yet were active enough to keep fit. Those signs were particularly important to Kyungsoo.

Two things Kyungsoo treasured most were food and health –all parts of health; mental, emotional, physical and soul. Anyone loving those immediately earned a few cookie points.

As someone who had been desensitised from living with ethereal creatures namely Minseok and Jongdae, Kyungsoo’s standard of good looks was skewed. No one could come close to his bothers’ allure. Yet, today, the loudmouth that he was resenting for interrupting his solace happened to be someone beyond gorgeous.

However, by the glint in those eyes, he was no well-behaved angel.

The five seconds it took for Junmyeon and the beauty to stand before him was too short to snap Kyungsoo out of his reverie. Thank heavens, Huchu decided to climb on him, breaking the spell that had been casted onto him. It returned Kyungsoo to reality.

He shook his head. He needed to snap out of this enchantment, stamping down on the budding intrigue. Who was he to fall for such a creature? By the combination of fur and scales on his skin, the curve of his ears, and the tail flickering behind him, he was without a doubt that he was one of the eastern dragons.

And a dragon could only ever mate with another dragon.

To have another futile dream was undesirable to Kyungsoo. One was more than enough. Adding a second one would slowly kill him. He was no masochist.

“Yes, hyung?” He caressed Huchu and Meongmul who were purring in the crook of his arm, calming his frayed nerves.

“Kyungsoo, this is Baekhyun. He’ll be apprenticing under Yixing and I. I hope you can help him with the plants’ aspect.” Junmyeon smiled with a hint of desperation. His nerves must be wearing thin.

Kyungsoo smiled at the beauty, Baekhyun, smiled bright at him readily. A good sign. A wider smile graced Kyungsoo’s lips as he reintroduced himself. “Byun Baekhyun. I think since I’m good with light, I should be able to help you with the plants a lot.”

Huchu and Meongmul stared at the dragon. Deeming he was harmless yet not interesting enough for their attention, they jumped down from Kyungsoo’s hand and disappeared between the tall trees.

“As Junmyeon-hyung mentioned, I’m Kyungsoo. You’re welcomed anytime you’re free.” When Baekhyun tilted his head at his name, it reminded him how effective the monarchs was. Everyone knew the Dohs without mentioning they were a Doh, including his estranged family, except he who was casted away.

It was saddening, but a part of him was relieved, as he believed this was for the best. This way, his abysmal image wouldn’t affect the sterling image of his parents and siblings. He rather had no one knew of his existence than having his beloved family, who loved him despite his inadequacies, be put under the bus because of him.

Yes, Baekhyun didn’t recognise the man. For a person in an adult body sans the markings that signified he was an adult whilst smelling as neutral as a child, it was bizarre that he was neither famous nor infamous. There must be something more behind it, especially since such man was in the protected land of the highest tiered healers in their kingdom. A place where their residences were untouchable.

Was he there merely for his work or was there more? He could be extraordinary in his works that he was essential in the apothecary’s sustainability. However, that didn’t seem to be right, like there was an intricate mystery laced all over it. There must be a connection to the protection provided, wasn’t there? Was he someone related to an elite family since only those kind of powers could suppress the knowledge of an individual’s existence? But he didn’t ooze the arrogance and entitlement that came with such relations. Had he angered someone powerful? Baekhyun negated the idea as fast as it entered his mind. How could Kyungsoo, someone that hadn’t presented his adult form, powerless, be threatening such great power?

Unless, it was not about anger. Something as sinister as envy…

Who was Kyungsoo?

The mystery was intriguing enough to shut Baekhyun up as his eyes roamed the man, looking for any clues as he felt a deep-seated need to unearth the enigma.

Kyungsoo sighed. He was used to having eyes roaming his body. He knew he looked weird; defective. A bizarre existence. He wished he had worn a long sleeve today. Alas he didn’t, exposing his arms for perusal. Kyungsoo forced himself not to hide his arms behind his back. He had learned that it was easier if he let them have their fill. They would get bored once the shock faded away.

Accepting he was who he was didn’t lessen the impact such gaze had on his emotions every time his body became a focus. Yes, he didn’t morph. Hence, this was the life he had no choice but to live through.

Another layer of defence was erected, barricading Kyungsoo’s heart as he waited for the disgust and ridicule that he was certain would come from the beautiful dragon. For to most, he was ugly, especially in the eyes of such beauty.

Strangely, the curiosity exhibited had persisted sans derision. There was no signs of revolt; repulsion in absentia. Kyungsoo reminded himself that it could be due to impeccable emotional control. Yet, he himself didn’t feel so. He might have only met the beautiful dragon a scant few minutes, but Baekhyun was too animated to have such control. He displayed his emotions uninhibitedly; transparent. The candidness was a fresh of breath air coming from a stranger.

Nonetheless, Kyungsoo was still uncomfortable being openly analysed as if he was a soulless object. “If you’re looking for any markings, you won’t find any,” he stated matter-o-factly. “And if there’s nothing else, I need to go back to work.” Turning his back at this moment would be so satisfying but rude. He held himself back with his face as blank as a stone.

Kyungsoo’s words took Baekhyun by surprise, dropping his jaw. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude,” said a flustered Baekhyun as he flailed his arms around. Then, he cleared his throat to collect himself, “I have questions.”

A minute passed, yet there was no question asked. Kyungsoo raised his eyebrow. “I’m waiting.”

“What do you do?” blurted the beautiful dragon.

With a deadpanned face, Kyungsoo answered, “I manage the garden.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “I know that. I’m not blind. I mean, what do you do specifically? I’ve never tended to a garden professionally before.” He crouched to the ground by a patch of poppies. “I also have never seen flowers so vividly colourful. Do you have techs to maintain the soil quality? Is there like a specific fertiliser for different types of affects you want?” Baekhyun ran himself to a dead end with the last question of wanting Kyungsoo to spill all the beans.

Kyungsoo understood why Junmyeon was overwhelmed. Baekhyun was a ball of curious energy. “Yes, there’re techs and customised fertilisers. These are secondary care.” However, Kyungsoo didn’t depend on those especially considering techs were made for those who could manipulate mana. Since he couldn’t he had to learn other methods of caring for his plants. “Primary care is by understanding each of their own characteristics and properties. We cannot treat the plants like they are parasites to the soil. They need each other to flourish.”

“Their life is a symbiosis. A cycle that is confounded, each part intermingling in a traceless path,” pondered Baekhyun aloud while he stared at the red and orange of the poppy flowers.

“Yes.” A wispiness could be heard in Kyungsoo’s voice, but his voice was always a bit higher when he talked with new people.

“That’s why things look au natural and vibrant here.” The silver man nodded his head. “Conscientious disarray with precise intention.” He gave Kyungsoo a wide boxy smile. “You’re amazing.”

Baekhyun’s words took Kyungsoo by surprise, his praise doubly so. Outsiders usually were neither openly nor positively appreciative of his visions. They would always put down his philosophy and principles. His skin mattered more than the evidences that were his flourishing garden.

Yet, here Baekhyun was, joining the handful that appreciated his take on gardening. He felt weird and honestly, elated. The wall he recently build came crumbling down before it could solidify. The boxy smile injected a bubbliness into his heart only Jongdae and Minseok could ever manage.

For the first time in his life, a sense of belongingness outside of his childhood home awash him.

Kyungsoo cleared his suddenly congested throat, his tongue felt foreign in his mouth as he tried to speak. How to reply to a compliment? Jongdae’s conference banged into his head, just take it, say thank you and move on. Taking his twin’s advice, Kyungsoo stuttered his thanks. “I’ll lend you my notes if you’re interested.”

“You have notes? Do they include medicinal properties?” Of course, Baekhyun was interested. If not, he wouldn’t be in the apothecary in the first place.

Kyungsoo felt attacked. Thus, his tone became less restrained. “Where do you think this is? You have no use to me here if you don’t have the basic knowledge of plant care and usage. Come.”

He led the beautiful man into the apothecary through the back door to his workroom.

Baekhyun felt he was transported to a different world. He hadn’t expected the apothecary would have a place so cosy. He expected the pristineness, but not the welcoming comfort it actually was.

Bunches of plant materials were hanging from the ceiling. Pots of leaves, sticks, barks, pieces of woods were aligned neatly on sturdy cabinets. More cabinets filled with books and tomes lined the walls on the other side of the room with a cosy nesting nook at the corner. A nesting nook, he didn’t have any other vocabulary to convey the utter comfort it provided him with.

Then, there were five spotless stove, two by a window, and three on an island. All without traces of oil and grime despite looking very well loved. Contraptions of all sorts made from glass, metal, ceramic and stones didn’t change the overall homey feeling of the workroom.

The silver man surmised, anyone entering the room could feel the boundless love the owner had towards the science and art involved.

He followed after Kyungsoo’s slighter yet more muscular back towards the book racks. A stitched leather-bound book was handed to him. One that came from rows of similar looking books filling a bookcase almost to bursting by the nesting nook.

Baekhyun head moved up and down as he looked at the book and its origin. “Are those all your notes?” Kyungsoo nodded once with a tilted head. He flipped through the pages. “You wrote and drew everything by hand? Wait, scratch that. There are photographs and moving pictures too?”

He ducked his head, seeing half of Baekhyun’s face, which brought his attention to the mole by the right tip of reddish pink lips. Absentmindedly, he confirmed, “I hope it’s legible.”

“That’s all you have got to say?” Baekhyun was dumbfounded. His eyes twitching.

Kyungsoo didn’t know what to say or how to react. So, he chose to run away. “Alright, I’ll leave you to it. Find me if you need me. I’ll either be in the garden or my workroom.”

The shorter man left the room and returned to his work in the garden. The image of Baekhyun’s cute astounded face fixated in front of his eyes. It took him a minute to shake the man off his focus. Meokmul rubbing her face on his shin helped him so he squatted down to nuzzle her as his thanks.

Then, he collected his tools and went to a large henna tree by a hillside. The tree was bushy with red flowers, the soft scent it sent out attracting all sorts of pollinators. “Why is he beautiful and adorable?” asked Kyungsoo to the silent tree as he started working on it. “Bub, how am I supposed to work with him if I can’t even look at him without getting flustered?” He asked more questions, sometimes providing the answers himself, effectively carrying a conversation with a tree. He even summarised their one sided discussion, “I’m doomed.”

By the time he snipped half of the seventh henna tree with the sun almost reaching its zenith, Kyungsoo finally had enough flowers and leaves to proceed to the next step. However, the sun reminded him he had another task to do, feed Yixing, Junmyeon and himself, Baekhyun too if he was still around. He needed to cook their lunch. On his way back to his workroom, Kyungsoo picked the materials he needed for today’s lunch; mushrooms, tomatoes, chillies, bell peppers, potatoes, carrots (he didn’t like carrot but Yixing loved it), and a bunch of edible leaves.

The first dish was fried chicken with sweet, sour and spicy sauce on the side. The second dish was pheasant mushroom stew and thirdly, assorted salad as side dish. By the time the rice was cooked, a set table seated Yixing, Junmyeon and a tall lean bear. As Kyungsoo brought the last dish to the table, he could see Baekhyun spying on them from behind a door.

Kyungsoo signalled with his head to come in. “What are you peeking at? Come eat.”

Not minding being caught spying at all, the dragon came bounding into the dining area. Baekhyun didn’t need to be asked twice. With his wide rectangular smile, he sat beside Junmyeon, leaving an empty seat to his right. “This smells divine. I’ve been salivating like forever.”

“Chicken!” screamed the bear after the lids covering the food were lifted.

“Yah, Nini, no screaming into my ears,” admonished Kyungsoo as he slapped at the bear’s shoulder.

“But you made chicken, hyung. I’m so happy,” Nini or better known as Kim Jongin pouted He was a regular who had inserted himself into their small circle ever since Kyungsoo first cooked chicken while he was around, obsessed with all sorts of birds but chickens especially.

“I need to make use of the chilled chickens before they overflow.” Kyungsoo filled Junmyeon’s rice bowl first then Yixing’s, Baekhyun’s, Jongin’s and his last.

Jongin smiled sheepishly, “I’ll hunt something else.” As a hunter and Kyungsoo’s food enthusiast, Jongin had taken into his hands to provide all the edible meat sources -be it fishes, deer, or anything really- for their consumption and usage with minimal charges. To Jongin, he still got the better end of the deal since his healing mother would get to eat healthy and mouth-watering dishes regularly. Also, it was a way for him to express his gratefulness as her condition were showing vast improvements ever since he had found Yixing, Junmyeon and Kyungsoo. “You want anything specific, hyung?”

“No. I’m good with anything that won’t disrupt the ecosystem.” Once he finished filling each of their soup bowls with the stew while Junmyeon mixed the sweet sour and spicy sauce in his rice, Yixing dipping his chickens to soak in the juice and Baekhyun observing everyone, he sat down.

“How about you, Baekhyun-hyung? Anything you want so I can give it as our meeting gift?” Jongin turned his attention towards the newcomer who was busy stuffing his face while moaning at the food.

Baekhyun was caught off guard with his mouth full mid hum. For a short few seconds he imitated a deer caught in headlights as he had garnered everyone’s focus. He shook his head, not having any idea what sorts of animals Jongin could catch. Then, he looked at Kyungsoo for help as Jongin insisted on whatever he wanted.

“Tell him what animals you like to eat,” said Kyungsoo, answering the silent plea.

Baekhyun eyed Kyungsoo once again, that, he could do. He swallowed and looked at the awaiting Jongin. “Animals I love to eat… Horned Snow Hare and Rainbow Blood Salmon,” he said the first animal barely through a whisper but hyped up when Jongin was listening seriously. “Oh, I love Crowned Silver Pheasant and Twintale Ibex too.”

“I haven’t had a Horned Snow Hare in a long time. You should catch that one, Nini.” Junmyeon nodded at Baekhyun’s choices. “Soo could make satay from it.”

“I want the Twintale Ibex, we haven’t had ibex bone broth in a long time. Its meat dumplings would go so good with noodles and the broth,” mulled Yixing as he sighed dreamily at the lingering taste from his memory, his chopsticks picking up a chicken feet.

In front of food, they discussed more about food.

After everyone cleared the table, the apothecary’s sign was turned back to ‘come in’, business resumed as per usual. Kyungsoo returned to his workroom to continue with his work, not loitering in the front. Though he did send Jongin off with his mother’s portion. No one needed to know that his eyes strayed to Baekhyun who was hovering over Yixing as the unicorn explained about the imaging system for their patients.

It was a busy day out in the front and Kyungsoo stayed away from the cacophony as much as possible. Mainly because his job was behind the scenes, but also because he didn’t like showing himself to the visitors. It was hurtful. Even if their mouth could be zipped, their toxic gaze couldn’t be erased. Rather than causing a commotion, it was best he stayed out of sight.

At the sharp point that the shadows expanded longer than their subjects, the apothecary’s sign was switched off. No more clients would be accepted until the next day, only those finishing up were left inside. Once the last patient trickled out, after things were put to place, inventory replenished, they were done for the day.

As per his routine, Kyungsoo settled with a stencil and a book at his nook while waiting for his ride home. Engrossed with scribbling his thoughts into something understandable, he was unaware of somebody entering his workroom, not until said person stood in front of him and called his name up close.

Kyungsoo jolted in his seat. Eyes shaking as he readjusted his seat and looked at the person. During these moments, both Junmyeon and Yixing usually just poke him to snap him out of his world.

“Is it okay if I make a copy of your journals?” asked Baekhyun with a sheepish smile after he apologised for startling Kyungsoo.

Picking at the edge of the pillow on his lap, Kyungsoo agreed without much thought. “Sure. Keep it hidden though.”

With tilted head, Baekhyun asked, “Even from Yeol and my brother, Sehunnie?”

“Who’s Yeol?” An unidentified emotion snuck into Kyungsoo’s gut, making him slightly uncomfortable.

“Park Chanyeol, he’s my bestie, also he’s the who will be picking me up later. Him and Sehunnie help me cram so it would really be awesome if they get to read them too. They won’t tell another soul,” said Baekhyun as he tilted his head, widened eyes blinking with a cute smile to complete the puppy eyes image.

Kyungsoo couldn’t look more than a few seconds at the adorable face the beautiful dragon was making lest he would make an impulsive decision. Instead, he worried his lips as he thought of the pros and cons, glistening them with saliva as they reddened and swell.

This time, it was Baekhyun who tried not to stare.

Frankly, Kyungsoo didn’t want others to know about the journals because the thoughts of strangers reading through them made him feel vulnerable. They were his life’s works, his essence poured into paper. Exposing them to others would be like exposing himself towards pain. He didn’t understand why he was willingly lending them to Baekhyun, –you fell for the beautiful dragon, you oblivious man- he was debating heavily. However, for Baekhyun’s sake, he swallowed his anxiety. “Okay, but no one else.”

Baekhyun beamed, and light poured into the room, attracted to him. “Yes! Thank you, Kyungsoo-yah!” He reflexively grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand and squeezed it in gratitude. If Kyungsoo wasn’t sitting, Baekhyun would have pulled the smaller man into a tight hug. Since he couldn’t, Kyungsoo’s hand was a good substitute.

A sturdy, coarse hand that had seen through hard labours. Such a contrast to his softer ones. For a smaller man, Kyungsoo’s hand was larger than his; palm wider with thicker fingers. The nails were kept short but he could feel the jagged edges from traces of them being bitten.

Baekhyun didn’t realise he had been feeling Kyungsoo’s hand until a booming voice called his name, “Baekhyunnie, where are you?” Even then, he didn’t release the hand in his grasped as he shouted he where he was. Instead, his grasp tightened, a magnetic tingling keeping them together.

Chanyeol found Baekhyun while his hands sandwiched Kyungsoo’s. Both of them looking at him. Gasping, Chanyeol lunged and pulled Baekhyun away by his shirt, separating their hands.

With the magnetic tingling coursing from Baekhyun’s touch gone, Kyungsoo hissed from the pain and numbness it left behind, he couldn’t move it much. He looked at his hand and noticed the fine black webs on it growing upwards. A pathognomonic sign that the venom had entered his blood vessels, spreading fast.

Black webs crept millimetre by millimetre, sprawling from his hand eliciting a fiery sensation followed by numbness. Kyungsoo stared in a trance looking at the jagged black thin lines covering his arm. Despite, the burn it evoked, there was a sort of perverse beauty that infatuated him. A beauty that spoke to the depth of his core. Despite the impending death that loomed as the poison aimed for his heart, there was an absence of fear. A calmness enshrouded Kyungsoo.

Quickly, the giant newcomer grabbed his hairband, releasing his hair from its bun. While his hair cascaded and framed his face, he tied a tourniquet at Kyungsoo’s upper arm with the band. Then, he pricked the tips of Kyungsoo’s fingers deep with his morphed tiger claws while massaging his arm, keeping the blood flowing. Black blood trickled out and the blackened vessels receded as more of the venom were expelled our of Kyungsoo’s body. “Don’t let him touch you again. This is a close call, if I came late, you could have died.”

The giant tiger’s blunt words made Baekhyun blanch, but Kyungsoo nodded sans a slither of blame. The words were severe but the directness was a preventive measure so there would be no reoccurrences of such instances. Baekhyun was supposed to be working alongside these people, he needed to be more attentive with his skin.

How could either of them forgot about the toxicity of a dragon’s bodily fluids when it was a common knowledge? More so when the parties involved were a dragon and someone who worked in the medical field. It was absurd really. No matter how dry a dragon’s skin was, because they too sweat, traces of their venom would always be present despite the short decomposition time. It might took longer to take effect due to the small dosage, but it surely would.

Though his hands were massaging Kyungsoo, Chanyeol glared at Baekhyun. “Go get one of the healers, Baekhyunnie.”

The frozen Baekhyun ran out.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of poisoned blood. “I’m Park Chanyeol by the way,” said the tiger as he tried to break the ice.

“Kyungsoo,” reciprocated the man as he took his eyes away from the black webs and looked at his saviour. If it was not for Chanyeol, he wouldn’t even realise that he was in death’s door.

Chanyeol was a towering white tiger, sitting by Kyungsoo’s side couldn’t hide his elongated body. There were thick stripes amongst white fur, a continuum of his platinum hair. Behind him, a long tail swished lazily, the laziness though meant he was anything but relaxed. On his ears were large ringed-spot. Looking at the twitching auricles, they were larger than the stereotypical size; however they complimented his dimpled cheeks. Another attractive individual. As the saying went, beautiful creatures flocked together.

On that note though, Kyungsoo was an exception.

“Kyungsoo, I’m sorry this happened. He’s not usually this absent-minded. The excitement probably got to his head since he doesn’t really get out much.” The scrunch on his eyebrows and the thinned lips conveyed the secondary guilt Chanyeol was feeling.

The door swung open as Kyungsoo said, “It’s fine.”

A serious-faced Yixing got to the man’s side. Without further ado, he got to work and channelled a steady flow of mana with his hand hovering over where Kyungsoo’s heart would be. The glittering rainbow coloured mana from Yixing’s hand dove into Kyungsoo’s heart and dispersed with his pumped blood. The shimmering colours shined as it coursed inside the sitting man’s body.

On Kyungsoo’s skin, an undulation of shades of brighter and darker hues of black in tandem with the lub-dub of Kyungsoo’s slowing heart was visible.

It was ominous seeing the previous staccato becoming moderato and getting slower still. 

The unicorn’s eyebrows furrowed, concentrating to diagnose and treat in the same breath. A dragon’s venom was special. It might have a short half-life, but its characteristics were not something to be trifled with. Due to two factors, a dragon’s venom was a terrifying enemy to tackle; there were neither an antidote that could neutralise the venom nor were there cure for the ravage it had raked. The only counter measure that could be done was to prevent the venom from reacting any further while it was exsanguinated. Otherwise, it would act insidiously as it attacked to the very core of a sentient being, their chromosomes and their mana constitution.

If Chanyeol were a minute late, Kyungsoo would have been in a dire state. If the venom were absorbed any closer to the heart or brain, he wouldn’t see another day. If Yixing were less than exemplary, he would have to suffer more damages for the rest of his shortened life.

Since it was not the case, the most apparent leftover of the venom were unapparent. Baekhyun was devastated once he snapped out of the trance he was in before. To the point that Kyungsoo could detect the darkness of depression exuding from Baekhyun, the light that were present before had vanished. It was as dark as the abyss, so solid it was tangible to Kyungsoo. He lifted his head up to look at the source of the despair and stared straight into the dragon’s eyes. However, the dragon averted his gaze.

The gloom intensified.

“Baekhyun, come here, please,” Kyungsoo’s voice croaked as he tried to use his vocal cords.

After a moment of hesitation, the unrelenting eyes convinced the dragon to make his move. After a sigh, Baekhyun walked closer, but not close enough that he would accidentally touch Kyungsoo. He was so used to touching everyone surrounding him barring Chanyeol, it was new to curb his habit.

“If you blame yourself, then you need to blame me too.” Kyungsoo wished he could cup Baekhyun’s face, or hold his hand, or simply pull him into an embrace, but he couldn’t and shouldn’t. Not only it would worsen his condition, it would cause the gloom to devour the dragon instead of the consolation he meant to offer.

One thousand and one thoughts rushed through Baekhyun’s head, detailing each of his own error, whilst negating Kyungsoo’s, adding velocity to the spiral he was incumbent in. “But…”

Kyungsoo cut Baekhyun before he could say more. “There’s no but, we both knew you’re a dragon and I’m not. We’re both adults with a brain in our skulls. If you find me guiltless, you too are innocent.” The both of them were enthralled with each other. A gravitation that muffled their rationality. A mistake it was not, merely a sequelae of a raw interaction.

Black eyes fixated on the dimmed silver ones. The pull to placate Baekhyun was nearly impossible to endure. Like that, they were absorbed into a world with two population.

To Baekhyun, touches were reassurances. Since he couldn’t touch, it aggravated his frustration. The dragon’s mana became charged as Baekhyun felt the need to reach Kyungsoo heightened. As he channelled his irritation into something tangible, the silvery colourless mana contorted as it emanated out of Baekhyun’s body. The silvery mana tentatively brushed Kyungsoo’s cheeks.

Baekhyun gasped.

He couldn’t believe he could touch without touching. His heart bloomed at the discovery. Instead of using his limbs, Baekhyun manipulated his mana and blanketed Kyungsoo with it, effectively giving Kyungsoo an all-reaching hug.

Sans mana of his own, the unmorph had no resistance towards the foreign one enveloping him. Normally, Kyungsoo wouldn’t be able to feel mana since he had no aptitude in either mana sense or mana intuition. He was insensitive to mana. Yet, he could feel something hugging him tenderly. It seeped into his core, assuaging the hurt he was feeling from the prospect of not being able to be close to the mesmerising dragon.

A dragon’s mana was on a whole separate realm than the none mythical creatures.

A smile of wonderment, sincere from the bottom of his heart split Kyungsoo’s face in half showed the dimples in his nasolabial creases.

Apprehending that the smile was intended for him as their eyes were only on each other’s, Baekhyun was made aware of the two-way interaction of his mana and Kyungsoo. What was crucial was that it didn’t show any repercussions. He really could touch without touching now and Kyungsoo could feel it too. Delighted, Baekhyun too smiled from ear to ear, bringing back the light that had gone absentia.

Kyungsoo hummed in contentment, the pain coursing in his vessels forgotten. The power of comfort loosened the tension stiffening his sinews, allowing the rainbow coloured mana to flow to the corners and edges previously obstructed.

Minutes trickled by in silence, disturbed only by Junmyeon joining them and Chanyeol answering his questions in a hushed voice.

Checking the indicator device hanged on the wall directly in front of him told Kyungsoo that it wouldn’t be long before Jongdae would arrive and likely it would be raining at that point of time. He didn’t want his twin to find him in this condition. Because he didn’t want to trigger his family’s protectiveness, which would drive a wedge between him and Baekhyun, someone he was supposed to work for who knows how long.

Thud, Yixing plopped on his bottom, both hands propping him with his legs shaking from kneeling and lethargy. “Done. You’re good to go.”

Junmyeon wiped the sweat on the unicorn’s face. However, his eyes were elsewhere. “Don’t repeat this. I mean it. It is especially riskier for you, Kyungsoo.”

The two nodded.

Kyungsoo stabilised, curfew approaching, Baekhyun and Chanyeol bowed their farewells. Out went Baekhyun and Chanyeol. In came Jongdae.

“Soo-yah, I’m here!” Jongdae lilted his voice as he called for Kyungsoo. The loud voice made Kyungsoo scramble to get himself ready. His nerves hadn’t calmed down yet, making him nervous. A rapid rhythmic knocks on the workroom door and the door swayed as Jongdae peered inside. “Hey, Xing! Myeon! Are you having a discussion? Should I wait in front?”

As if summoned after Jongdae’s voice reverberated, Huchu and Meongmul came bundling through the small door into the workroom. Meowing their greetings as they rubbed their bodies on Jongdae’s legs.

“Come on in. We’re done for today,” assured Junmyeon. “Kyungsoo went to the loo.”

Jongdae sat on Kyungsoo’s chair, the two cats made themselves comfortable on his lap. “Why does Yixing look like he had a scuffle with a chimaera?”

“Tough cases today.” He should leave it to Kyungsoo to tell Jongdae the happenstances today. Junmyeon got on his feet, pulled Yixing up and pushed him towards the front. “You should be going home too, Xing, before Llama sic your brood here.” He waved at Kyungsoo who was drying his hands with a towel. “Bye, Kyungsoo. I’ll close up today.” And he added in a whisper as he passed the man by, “rest and don’t stress. I’ll have a look at you tomorrow.”

A noncommittal hum was all that Kyungsoo offered. He wouldn’t promise something he couldn’t ascertain. Words were not mere words, words were vows and promises; wishes and hopes that coloured life. He knew how much words could fester and mutilate. Nonetheless, he also was aware how words could heal and build.

Never to forget his gratitude, he gave his thanks to the two exiting his workroom, “See you tomorrow.”

With the two sleepy cats bumbling behind them on their way to Jongdae’s car, Kyungsoo was relieved that his beloved cats weren’t around to witness his distress. They slept as soon as the engine was started, probably tired out from chasing after pests targeting his garden.

While on the road, Kyungsoo’s manacom (mana computer), which Jongdae had finagled with to function using mana converted from the environment, buzzed. Checking the new messages, he received and seeing it was Baekhyun, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Who gave you cream?” A Cheshire smile with a little bit of teeth, the older twin teased his youngest brother.

Kyungsoo wiped the soft raise of his lips.

Jongdae laughed and poked at the mochi cheeks. “Is it one of the two persons I saw? Was it the giant or the dragon?” Of course Jongdae would know that Baekhyun was a dragon without being introduced, he had exquisite mana perception.

“The dragon is Baekhyun. He’s the new healer apprentice.”

“Who’s the giant?”

“Chanyeol is Baekhyun’s friend.”

Jongdae nodded. He looked at Kyungsoo and raised an eyebrow. “When are you going to tell me about your hand?”

Pulling his sleeve wouldn’t hide the trail, but it comforted Kyungsoo. Biting his lips, “It’s not a big problem.”

A few moments passed by, but Jongdae didn’t interrupt. Kyungsoo needed his time and remaining attentive proved him the space he needed to process. However, patience about the unknown was something Jongdae lacked. “Aigoo, just tell me. Why does your hand have a dragon’s venom? That’s one. And the other more critical thing is, why is your whole body covered in his mana? Everyone’s gonna notice that you know. At least the venom trace is dissipating fast.”

More lips abusing as he organised his thoughts. “I lend him my journals.”

Jongdae hit the brake. If they were using the land road, if would have been a mess. Thank goodness, their route was via the under the cloud highway. “Your precious journals?”

The sudden brake jolted Kyungsoo, almost crashing to the dashboard, saved by the seatbelt. “I told you, he’s the new healer.”

“But you never lend your journals.”

Kyungsoo couldn’t say anything about that. “So he grabbed my hand in thanks.”

“And you didn’t pull back?”

“I didn’t.”

“Why?”

“Because someone wants to hold my hand despite me being me. That’s why.”

“Hey, I hold your hands. So do appa and mama and Seokkie.”

“Yeah, but he’s a stranger. He’s not disgusted by me.”

“Alright. Then, what happened?”

“Chanyeol came in, then Yixing healed me, Baekhyun apologised and here I am.”

“He purged it all?”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

“How am I not supposed to worry? It’s a dragon’s bloody venom. You could have died and now that dragon is going to work with you.”

“We learned our lesson which led to the mana hug, I guess.”

“You guess?”

“It’s Baekhyun’s mana, how would I know exactly the reason?”

“Good point. Tell everyone everything later or I’ll do it myself.”

“Yes, Jongdae.”

“So, the giant is your saviour? He looks cute.”

“Cute? I don’t understand you beautiful creatures. He’s handsome, not just cute.”

Jongdae shrugged, “Smells amazing too.”

Kyungsoo squinted at Jongdae. “Love at first sight?”

“I smelled him first. So, love at first scent?”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Yah, so what?”

“I’m telling everyone.”

“I saw his dimples. They’re like Yixing’s and he’s so tall. Smells really good too.”

They went like that for the rest of the drive till they reached their home. It was Friday night, as per their family tradition, it was their food extravaganza night of the week. A celebration of the end of the week, at least for their parents and Jongdae who worked at the academy. Whereas for Minseok and Kyungsoo, tomorrow was another workday.

As soon as Kyungsoo passed the front door, Mrs Doh collected him into a big hug. If she could, she would pick him up, but that would irritate her youngest too much. The baby will always be the baby. While patting her son all over, she remarked, “Why do you smell like a dragon swaddled you with mana?”

Huchu and Meongmul ran into the house in the search of their brother, Tan who has been lounging on top of a cabinet overlooking Mr Doh in the kitchen.

“Because a dragon did swaddle him with mana,” said Jongdae as he waited for his turn.

“Why? Because he couldn’t physically hug our adorable maknae?”

“You answered yourself mama,” Jongdae answered cheekily.

“And there’s a tiger too?” Kate released her baby, looked him in the eyes, smiled and kissed his forehead. After satisfying herself with squishing him did she move to hug Jongdae.

“Dae likes the tiger,” Kyungsoo answered the question as he joined his appa in the kitchen. Like Kate, Doh Seojin collected Kyungsoo into his embrace, but didn’t linger as long as she did. The father released him once he scented Kyungsoo and getting a reassuring gaze that their youngest was well.

Minseok who had Friday’s off was already helping in the kitchen pounced on Kyungsoo. “Who are these dragon and tiger?”

It was a given that Baekhyun and Chanyeol would be a hot topic for the night’s dinner. Due to a very simple reason, Kyungsoo’s safety. The youngest Doh was not the type to interact with people unless they were part of his circle, which involved a handful of people all are either their family members or those involved with the apothecary. More often than not, the scent of strangers meant there were attempts on his life.

Scenting a foreign aroma on Kyungsoo was a deadly rarity.

This particular instance was not an exception albeit the intent was innocent. Something both Kyungsoo and Jongdae wanted to keep under the rug. Lest, their parents especially Minseok’s impetuousness would be triggered yet again. It was not wise to rile up their kingdom’s elite strategist. Bloodshed was the least of their worry. Hence, their monarchs kept Minseok on a tight leash. Tight enough not to give him room to stray but lax enough that he didn’t feel the need to rebel. Despite the cruelty Kyungsoo was subjected, Minseok refused to act in a manner that could exacerbated his beloved youngest’s predicament. Being in the centre of intelligence assured numerous leeway were within his grasp. To renegade would make him blind and ignorant in this silent war. Until he could eliminate the root cause, so long his limit was not tested, he would be steadfast.

Kyungsoo nuzzled Minseok’s face. The eldest licked Kyungsoo’s face. “Is one of them the new recruit Myeon told me about?”

“Hyung, I know Myeon-hyung told you everything,” deadpanned Kyungsoo. There were no secrets between the two omegas. Actually, between Minseok, Junmyeon and Yixing, there were no stones left unturned lest it related to confidential matters. Since Minseok was one of Kyungsoo’s guardian, he was entitled to the minutiae regarding the youngest.

“That’s from his mouth. I wanna listen from you yourself, can’t I?” He squished Kyungsoo’s cheeks between his palms, his tail wounded around Kyungsoo’s waist.

Every member of the Doh family took their respective spots in the warm kitchen. Jongdae and Kate sipping their glass of preferred drinks by the island stools, Minseok preparing the materials and cleaning whilst Seojin acted as the head chef to Kyungsoo’s sous-chef. The cats lounging on the kitchen cabinet, grooming and licking to strengthen their family scent.

Retracing the steps from the moment his ears picked up Baekhyun’s curious timbre, the light that followed him to the lingering mana hug that dispersed after the distance between them elongated, were telling of Kyungsoo’s opinion of the dragon. Jongdae interjected with a crux, the glowing giant omega.

The worrisome affair was successfully circumvented sans doubt. Worrying his parents would trigger Kyungsoo’s anxiety and he needed to prevent the ever-looming bleakness from overpowering his world. Jongdae and Minseok understood his exigency, ergo they were hyperaware of his buttons. This was not the time to push it, there were other more appropriate time to do so.

Kyungsoo needed time to process.

Dinner were as loud as always, Baekhyun and Chanyeol were amongst the topic their parents lingered on other than Jongdae’s progress in creating a self-sustaining non-mana core, Minseok’s upcoming deployment and Kate fawning over Seojin’s quietness. It was comfortable, rejuvenating.

Because it was a Friday night, it was also the designated family pile night with grooming.

Despite being squeezed in between Seojin and Jongdae with Huchu and Meongmul cuddled on his chest, their soft purrs lilting the pleasant night, sleep evaded Kyungsoo. The day kept on projecting in his mind, particularly, Baekhyun’s balmy hug. It made him want to be able to detect mana even more, to use it. Then at least he reciprocate. But he couldn’t.

He tried not to linger in this line of thought, barricading the idea of reciprocating via mana and direct touch. Those were beyond his capabilities. He needed another way to reciprocate the care; compelled to do so as if failing was unthinkable. For Kyungsoo wished that the darkness hovering over Baekhyun wouldn’t return, that his brightness shined forevermore.

An idea began to form, entering his dream as Kyungsoo’s breath synced with Seojin’s.

\--

People said it took years to adapt with another person starting from the initial infatuation that revolved into dynamic configuration before forming a unique equilibrium. The push and pull, the sulking and coaxing, the discontent and bliss; all transpired to construct a delicate yet defining balance that faced continuous moulding. Ever changing because sentient beings were dynamic, adaptable either growing or withering.

Between Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, a balance tailored to them existed.

The first few months being in each other’s vicinity, a few habits were set in stone.

One of those habits was Baekhyun draping his mana on Kyungsoo’s body without miss. So long he could feel Kyungsoo was within his mana detection range thus being in the limits of Baekhyun’s mana perception, he would stretch his mana for the man. With time and effort, it had pullulate his mana control.

Even whilst performing his duties as an apprentice healer, he would continue his embrace on Kyungsoo. From the initial brittle construct, breaking apart the instance Baekhyun concentrated on fine-tuning his light to the precise wavelength and intensity that would promote repair and regeneration in tandem of impeding and dismantling the source of hazard. The present him had developed an acumen that warranted him to create a flexibly robust blanket subconsciously. The improvement carried on towards enhancing Baekhyun’s remote mana senses, sensitising his mana to comprehend physical stimuli then the abstract stimuli of pheromones to more of the intangible.

Born from his guilt and spurred by his adoration to the tenacity of the adorable unmorph, Baekhyun had a soft spot for Kyungsoo, like a precious dongsaeng.

On the other side of the coin, Kyungsoo had taken to messaging, calling and being vocal with Baekhyun. Be it to discuss about the plants, which more often than not shifted into deeper topics, or to express his disagreements and dissatisfactions either regarding Baekhyun or himself. Yes, that was his idea to bridge the gap between them, to be as open as he could with the dragon in the hope the beautiful dragon would be receptive towards him. Not a day pass without at least talking and looking at each other’s face. It didn’t matter whether the interaction were direct or via technology, live communication was a necessity.

They even found out they have a knack of harmonising. To Kyungsoo’s deep humming, Baekhyun added his own flavour to enrich the melody. To Baekhyun’s high energy, Kyungsoo’s energy grounded him. Whenever, darkness seemed to consume Baekhyun more so during stormy days, Kyungsoo’s presence absorbed it. Whenever, Kyungsoo’s mood obumbrated, Baekhyun bedazzled it away.

One thing though, Kyungsoo hadn’t been able to crack the mystery the storm brew. They fought and fought as the dragon became volatile when a lightning struck. Baekhyun refused to let him in and that upset Kyungsoo. He thought their friendship was significant, yet he was not deemed worthy of such consequential knowledge. He wanted to at least be friends with Baekhyun because he knew there wouldn’t be anything more, not when Baekhyun was a dragon whereas he was someone who was stuck in juvenescence.

Getting to know Sehun, Baekhyun’s younger brother, who came to the apothecary whenever the wind hit the younger dragon to tag along with his brother. Yet, another ceaselessly handsome creature with navy scales, reminiscing of the night sky. A beautiful soul with an innocent heart underneath the stoic facial expressions. Like Baekhyun, Sehun too attached himself to Kyungsoo, lending him a hand as he tended the garden, though mostly he basked under the sunlight with Huchu and Meongmul. The more they bonded, the more he could trace something was amiss. His gut told him it was connected with the wall walling the older dragon.

Kyungsoo sighed, who was he to dig deeper? Yes, he was nobody.

As more storms passed them, literally and metaphorically, the impenetrable wall keeping them at arm’s length became evident.

The blatant barrier was not agonising by itself, but with its cumulative effect coupled with an insidious malady that had been weakening him flake by flake, it chipped at the unmorph’s fortitude. His fair skin paling day to day, tinging cyanotic by fine increment. The change unnoticeable for the minute transitioning it took, allowing those surrounding to adapt to the changes and took it as a norm, not the pathologic condition it actually was till it had progressed. Though his eyes were brighter, his soul lighter with Baekhyun sharing his brilliance with Kyungsoo, it couldn’t heal something incurable.

Working with the healing aura’s of healers had diminished the malignant effects, slowing down the detrimental impact, but the inevitable couldn’t be avoided. Kyungsoo knew he was at his limits. He could barely hold his grimness at bay with all the sharpness and aches wrecking through his body.

He was not diseased, as such the pathognomonic scent carried by the sick was absent. Ergo, no one realised his internal plight and he was not about to burden his family any further. The sweet promise of an end was too seductive. A thorn in everyone’s skin he would cease to be. With him gone, more doors would open for Minseok, Jongdae and Baekhyun for they would have more time and energy to spend elsewhere without him weighing them down, blackening their names. With his end, Seojin and Kate wouldn’t have to worry and stress about his future. The apothecary could easily find someone to replace him, he was not irreplaceable.

The monarchs would be happier too.

It was indeed for the utmost best. He believed it with all his being.

\--

The strain from another protracted day at work dissipated as Kyungsoo stepped on their home’s perimeter. He didn’t wait for Jongdae as he walked to the front door. While he was about to push the door open, an owl hooted at him as it landed on the mail perch adjacent to the door. Using its beak to pick up the scroll it held using one of its feet, the owl waited for the man before him to retrieve the scroll.

“Thank you for your hard work,” Kyungsoo patted the owl’s head. It hooted and flew away.

An invitation.

_To the Doh’s,_

_You are hereby cordially invited to Our Sejeong’s coming of age ball tonight._

_Doh Heechul & Doh Kyuhyun_

Simplistic, with words written in gold ink on an embellished paper with exquisite paintings depicting their jewel-studded ballroom and a girl wearing an extravagant golden dress in the middle. The short notice was typical of the monarchs’ way of exercising their power; demanding total obeisance to disregard prior engagements for their heeds or face persecution.

The whirlwind striking the Doh’s household failed to instigate them.

Seojin and Kate weren’t a tiny bit anxious. “You’re coming with us, honey,” said Kate after he passed the invitation to Seojin.

Kyungsoo blinked at his parents. “But…”

“No buts. You’re not staying alone at home. Go get ready.” Seojin’s stern voice gave no leeway for the youngest Doh and Kyungsoo was too tired to convince them otherwise. Furthermore, he wanted to spend as much time with his family.

By the time dusk settled in, a guest came to their home. Choi Minho, Minseok’s junior, an alpha grey wolf who had been courting the eldest of the three sans fruition. He had called in earlier to be their escort. Minho being a family friend equipped with commando training was an added safety measure for Kyungsoo. As such, he was received with open arms.

In his three-piece black suit and a striped bowtie, Minho sat awaiting the Doh’s to finish dolling themselves up.

Like any other day, Jongdae was the first to join Minho in his wait. In his autumn leaves embroidered hanbok, with tail swishing sideways, he plopped by the other alpha’s side. “Did you get the new coffee beans he’s been craving?”

“Yup, I’ll give it to…” A cat got his tongue. In a long baby blue hanbok sporting the hexagonal geometric design of snow complementing the blue in his half-braided hair, Minho was mesmerised.

Kyungsoo who was right behind Minseok, shook his head and bypassed his brother. “You broke Minho, hyung.”

“Hyung, you need to take responsibility!” squealed Jongdae.

“About time you make him an honest alpha,” added Kate, brushing past her eldest, her tail brushing his back teasingly.

The attacks from all corners immobilised Minseok. Even if they were joking and they were, their ability to joke about this particular matter in front of an outsider meant they had accepted Minho more than a mere friend of the family. The wolf was basically an honorary family member. However, the jaguar had no intention to marry in the near future. Minho understood and was comfortable chasing after him although he might not be Minseok’s chosen mate.

Seojin placed a warm palm on his lower back, nudging him forward. “We’re getting late. Let’s go.”

The car ride was filled with banter with Kyungsoo plastered at Seojin’s side, basking in his appa’s warmth as the two quieter ones in the family. Seojin stroke his hair, lightly massaging his scalp.

The lull was a prerequisite to prime Kyungsoo’s nerves before facing their pride. Albeit most wouldn’t recognise who he was, that didn’t exclude their royal kin. The upper echelons of their pride, the ones who actively shunned and discarded him, who judged him as an outright shame, whose presence was a pollutant, those people were aware of his identity and lack of it. There would be sneering, back talks and downright offensive abuses hurled to his face.

Such situations, not one conscious creature could escape unscathed. Not even the most resilient, the most cold-hearted, or the most gullible ones. To minimise the plausible degeneration of their society aimed towards their beloved youngest, the Dohs including Minho took to be with Kyungsoo at all times.

True to their preconceptions, Kyungsoo was not recognised by most. The guards attending to the gates brushed him off as a servant boy, giving him permission of entry with barely a bat of an eyelash as they notarised Kyungsoo’s presence under the domestics’ category. Nonetheless, as the monarchs were loitering to greet their guests studded in precious stones and metals, an imminent tsunami was about to awash them.

Heechul and Kyuhyun were generally pleasant companies if their buttons were not pushed. Vindictive and sarcastic, but that was typical of the felid ancestry. They had the pride’s longevity in their agenda especially in the concern of their royal kin. Any sign of weakness must be nipped from the bud and Kyungsoo was a liability.

Zeroing in on the small family, the monarchs brought spotlights on the Dohs. Their discontent towards the family was conspicuous by the sour pheromone permeating the air, the monarchs were not the type to hide their dissatisfaction. From adults to children, all eyes were on them. Whispers and chatters filled the ballroom, with that an account of Kyungsoo’s biography snowballed.

Today, after years of attempts to sterilise the dirt, it dared to smear their pristine opulence. How could Heechul and Kyuhyun bear with this atrocity?

Minseok and Seojin took a step forward, shoulder to shoulder they stood as a shield against the incoming monarchs.

And Kyungsoo, the heart of the intense aversion bounding from all direction, couldn’t breathe. The fundamental reason was not the negativity targeting him, no, it was not. It was the telltale feeling of being embraced sans embracing that had wrecked him.

Baekhyun was present. He was witnessing the travesty that was Kyungsoo. Now, he would find out who Kyungsoo was, a deadweight of the royal blood. A blood that boasted talents with a stream of geniuses. Unfortunately, there Kyungsoo was, an abomination whence the norm was prodigies.

The knowledge of someone he adored potentially hating him was the hay that broke the camel’s back. The flimsy strength he was leaning on, crumbled and melted. Without it, the various pains and aches on his body flared up, fuelled into an inferno by his distress. The stinging pain originating from his palm, zapped into his heart like a bolt of fire, and transverse through every micrometre of his flesh. His skin felt parched as though it was cracking into a million pieces.

“Kyungsoo?” Minseok worriedly asked a bluish Kyungsoo, his hand feeling at Kyungsoo’s forehead.

Alas, it was too late. The unmorph couldn’t hear his soft and concerned voice.

Moribund as he was, Kyungsoo collapsed before the monarchs could reach him.

Minseok froze as his beloved youngest brother dropped right under his palm. The sluggish closure of Kyungsoo’s eyes as they lost the sheen of life vivid in the jaguar’s keen eyesight.

“Kyungsoo!” screamed Jongdae. He caught his twin, sat on the floor cradling his body. Then, he hovered his fingers over Kyungsoo’s nostrils, no exhalation or inhalation could be felt. He traced Kyungsoo’s jugular for a pulse, nothing. “He’s not breathing!”

Pandemonium broke.

Many cackled happily, clapping and rejoicing. “Good riddance!”

Thunder rumbled. The flash of lightning striking close stunned the running mouths into silence.

Kate hugged Jongdae, bringing his head to her chest, trying to calm him down, lest no one would be safe from being charred by electrocution. Her eyes though screamed malice. She cupped her baby’s pallid face with a free hand and tears wet her cheeks.

Only seconds had passed by. Suddenly, a person appeared crouched by Kyungsoo’s side.

Noticing whom it was, Jongdae perked up. “Baekhyun! Please save him!”

It was not his leisure to moan and groan as dallying would only jeopardise Kyungsoo more. Without further ado, Baekhyun went to work.

Mana, a scattered existence in their world began to pool around Kyungoo’s flaccid body. It gathered and coagulated into a silver ball under the hand of the silver dragon. Droplets of sweat dotted Baekhyun’s face as he focussed on tempering the mana and attuning it to Kyungsoo’s body.

The small ball gained size, one fold, two fold, three fold. Blackness swirled into the ball of silver, twirling and whirling around the bead of silver at the core of the ball. The ball vibrated. As it was about to quiver out of control, Baekhyun pushed the ball of mana straight into Kyungsoo’s heart. Like a tornado, the residual mana gathered in the air was absorbed.

A stillness cloaked the ballroom.

Boom. Baekhyun was sent flying across the room.

An invisible explosion reverberated, sending the shadows in the room into pulsation, growing in size as they threatened to consume all the light in the room. At the same time, a heaviness that grew in weight seemed to ravaged them, pulling at their body as the ground quaked under their feet.

The individuals encircling the downed man barely notice the calamity experienced by the others as though there was a bubble securing them. Baekhyun who had landed on his feet was out of their mind. Their complete attention were on Kyungsoo. Eyeing, listening, touching, sensing with all their faculties for a sign.

A sign of life.

A moment passed, a heartbeat thudded. It echoed in their ears.

Those with ill intent dropped onto the floor. Unable to stand despite straining with their absolute best. There was a force shackling them, pressuring every millimetre of their body to brink of rupture. Darkness devoured the ball.

Another heartbeat thudded.

Mana and the stifling darkness vacuumed into Kyungsoo, levitating him off Jongdae’s hold, enveloping him in a thick wool of darkness. The mana spun and rolled with increasing velocity before it slowed down as it was soaked up. The trampling pressure eased from the rest. The thinning sphere unveil the subject within bit by bit, while lowering him back onto Jongdae’s lap.

It was not the Kyungsoo they knew.

It was something else.

Black silky soft adorned with white rosettes akin to the markings of a Snow Leopard though chromatically reversed covered the creature. A long thick tail, longer yet almost as thick as the elongated slim body, curled around Jongdae. Felids typically had long bodies, but this creature was unlike the usual felid presentations, far longer than what entailed in their lineage. Consequently, it was much more relatable to another’s form. That particular creature was present in the room, unmistakable by the mana he exuded. Jongdae looked at the creature, finding his face scrunched up in pain. This alerted Jongdae, but he was more of concern with the one in his arms, rubbing soothing circles on the plush coat under his palm. This creature too was writhing, moaning in pain so lightly only sharp ears could pick up. It might look like another, nonetheless, the resemblance with their felid heritage was indisputable.

What was it exactly?

This question plagued many minds. As a worried father, Seojin wanted an answer so that he could provide to its needs accurately. This creature was his son, the honey of his heart. Determined, he scooted over closer. When he was about to lift the creatures face buried under Jongdae’s arm, without warning, another blast of mana erupted.

Boom, the mana recoiled throughout the ball, forcing the attendees to stagger on their feet, garnering attention to the fulcrum.

A majestic silver dragon was hovering in the air, shimmering and glittering as light poured onto him and glittered on his scales. Before anyone could take a breath, he leaped in front of Jongdae, pulled the creature into his arms mid-air and coiled their similar elongated body into an interweaving black and silver.

Like yin yang, an amalgamation of light and dark mana luminesce.

With their heads tucked at each other's nape, tail twined, one purred while the other growled, creating a melodic symphony.

_And it was the beginning of a new phase. To be continued?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing has regressed a lot so this is gonna be a travesty. Be warned. 
> 
> I wanted to write another one long shot for the continuation but that's not happening. Instead, here's a super short start to kick myself and try writing this again. No promises.

When a dragon, a creature no other creature could touch without death claiming them had snagged their youngest, the Dohs assumed an attacking formation. Their polished reflex had them ready to subdue at a moment’s notice. As fast as they were and they were really fast, they were too late. The silver dragon was faster. Like a bolt of light, Baekhyun had zoomed pass their awareness, taking Kyungsoo in his embrace. After noticing the extrication of Kyungsoo, before the Dohs could complete a step towards them, the two were already intertwined up in the air inside a thick pulsating bubble of mana. A protective shield that threatened to engulf anyone who dared to encroach, warning people to keep their distance.

The Dohs took a minute to assess the situation. Rash decisions would only breed trouble. They observed carefully, taking notes at the gravitation-less movement, as though they were in a womb. They scour for opportunities to retrieve their youngest while calming themselves as they reminded themselves that Baekhyun was a healer, someone who had resuscitated their Kyungsoo but a minute ago. He was a friend of Kyungsoo’s. He wouldn’t jeopardise Kyungsoo willy-nilly. There must be something more than they could comprehend at the work.

As moments passed, without Kyungsoo showing any signs of pain, his face serene, they relaxed their taut muscles. They continue watching the levitating duo. Witnessing the two’s resonating intimacy up in the air, the puzzle pieces fell into place.

The fur, the length, the facial structures.

Kyungsoo was a hybrid.

He was a felid and a dragon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated, praise me! ><

The Dohs weren’t the only ones with their hackles raised. There was one more felid whose fur were puffed up into a static ball. A tall giant who now looked so cute yet still intimidating with the combination of fluffiness and sharp eyebrows. If those near were not focussed on the Dohs, they would be hearing his heart throbbing through his ribcage. He was Park Chanyeol, Baekhyun’s bodyguard, who contrarily was not intent on Baekhyun’s predicament.

His eyes were elsewhere. They were fixated on the source of the buzzing electricity that spread on his skin like warm tendrils. No one else could do this, unless it was Kim Jongdae, Kyungsoo’s twin.

The buzzed feeling didn’t hurt. In fact, they made him giddy; invigorated. The surge of electricity in his body kept on amplifying, mixing with his own fire, fuelling it. It was captivating him, hypnotising him into a strange trance.

He hadn’t noticed Baekhyun had made a move towards the Dohs after the dragon was blasted away. No, he didn’t despite the scene the dragon made. The moment it entered his consciousness that Baekhyun had disappeared was after Jongdae had stood in retaliation. So, he had shifted his attention to the cause of the change. The trance he was in instantly shattered as he saw Baekhyun.

When there was another blast of mana. Not from the duo, instead from someone who was stupid enough to attack them, Chanyeol had no qualms to counterattack. With honed tracking skill and a sensitivity to mana, Chanyeol sic the perpetrator using a compact ball of fire the size of his thumb. Witnessing said perpetrator burn, everyone understood the warning.

Chanyeol jogged to the Dohs. His brain twisted and turned on how to introduce himself in this sensitive moment. However, he was floored when Jongdae greeted him.

“Chanyeol-ssi, what’s going on?” asked Jongdae to the man carrying Baekhyun’s scent that he recognised from Kyungsoo’s stories.

Chanyeol cleared his throat, a smile tugging the edges of his lips. Cheeks flushing, he answered, “They’re bonding.”

A chorus of “What!” was exclaimed by the Dohs. Their eyes left the youngest and bored a hole into Chanyeol. Bonding? Looking at Chanyeol's reddened face, what else could they understood other than mating? Thoughts of Kyungsoo being mated out of his consent angered them.

The sudden loudness startled Chanyeol and he dropped on his bottom, rubbing his chest. HisfHis long limbs flailing a bit on the floor.

“My apologies, we shouldn’t have shouted,” Mrs Doh crouched in front of Chanyeol to check on him. “By the way, I’m Kate, Kyungsoo’s mama. Would you mind elaborating more about this ‘bonding’ thing going on between our maknae and Baekhyun?” Kate pulled Chanyeol up on his legs after making sure he didn’t have a heart attack.

Hearing the peculiar way Kate pronounced 'bonding', Chanyeol came to a realisation. He blinked a few times and shook the remnants of the shock out of his system. The giant blamed himself for choosing that word. He forgot that it had another connotation. “It’s not the bonding you’re thinking, mam. They’re not mating. This is just a biological imperative of a newborn dragon to stabilise their core. Usually the whole clan will be up in the air with a newborn. You see that mana surrounding them,” the tall felid pointed at the duo’s vicinity, “that’s the mana turbulence of a developing core and Baekhyun is helping Kyungsoo to restructure it so that he doesn’t overload.”

First relief then anxiousness coursed through the Dohs. A worried Seojin interjected, “the whole clan? Doesn’t that mean that Kyungsoo is in danger right now?” He could hear Baekhyun’s stable growl starting to shake and the mana swirling faster.

True, by the looks of things, Baekhyun was close to his limit yet they had barely started. Chanyeol’s eyes flickered to the door and prayed. To the Dohs, he tried to placate though it was more of convincing himself. “You don’t need to worry, Baekhyun’s clan is not far off and they should be here soon. The mana turbulence of a newborn won’t be ignored,” said Chanyeol while his forehead scrunching and lips pouting from worry, diminishing the calming effect of his words


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the dragons!

BOOM! The door was blasted into nothingness. Its loudness reverberated sans visible impact. However, rivulets of explosive mana scorched those nearby. The smell of singed hair permeated had many scrunching their noses. Yet, they stood still, limbs paralysed from fear.

All eyes including the Dohs were pulled to the entrance, leaving the hovering duo. Everyone was on edge, sensitive from the development of a simple coming of age ball turning into a spectacle. Wariness filled the ballroom, but no one dared to pull a muscle.

The show of power was a clear sign that the source was not to be trifled with. Why? Because the energy created to blow up such a heavily bolstered door was so potent that not a piece of the elaborate bejewelled wooden door could be seen flying in the air despite the sharpness of the ballroom occupant’s eyesight. Furthermore, there were numerous defence runes and spells engraved on it.

Easily put, many were scared into submission. As unthinking as some of them were, even proud of their ignorance, the simplicity of an overpowered move was undeniable. To the point that no one would file an issue that their delicate lungs were damaged from the splintered door. The might entertain the idea for a second but once they recognised who was the source of the power were, they became mum.

No one had the guts. Not when Chanyeol’s prayer was answered and they were up with dragons. No bloody way were they going to risk their precious necks, pride be damned.

The tall giant tensed shoulders relaxed. He quickly informed the Dohs of the wonderful development. He channelled his jittery energy by explaining who everyone was, notably Donghae and Siwon, the current Dragon Kings aka Baekhyun’s and Sehun’s biological uncles on their carrier’s side and their guardian. With the Kings mobilised, Chanyeol attested that the worst case scenario was mitigated.

Kyungsoo would be fine.

Like calling a storm, dragons in both their majestic and humanoid form zeroed in on the mana sphere, which was growing in tempestuousness. Uncaring of the others because of the severity of the situation –the newborn’s mana vigorousness was growing into a devastating level-, royal decorum was long defenestrated from their mind for the livelihood of everyone. Lest none of them would survive.

Just in time as Baekhyun was left with the last dregs of his magic, drained to his core, they swept in. Pallid in complexion, Baekhyun slipped down from the intricate twining to the ground the moment he sensed the mana turbulence was stabilised. His trademark glowing silver-ness losing its lustre, shading into an alarming grey. Baekhyun’s eyes closed after confirming Kyungsoo was safely swathed by his clan and that his brother was here to take care of him. Weary darkness cocooned him.

Sehun had caught the falling Baekhyun, murmuring assurances into his ears the moment he ascertained that his hyung was not hurt, just spent.

However, before either of the Byuns reached the ground, nigh half a minute passed since Baekhyun slipped, but just enough time for Kyungsoo to stabilise, the newly morphed Kyungsoo roared. 


	5. Chapter 5

The loud roar didn’t falter any of the dragons. The cocoon they made stayed strong and binding.

Restriction was uncomfortable. Especially when a touch of freedom was already experienced where it could run rampant to its heart’s content. To be caged following that was as though a sensory organ had been sealed. A loss so keen Kyungsoo couldn’t help himself but strike back in the pursuit of liberation.

He was ignorant of the strength he held. The sheer power he exuded needed not one but three adepts of the dragon clans to put forth their very best to contain him. A rarity to have such overwhelming endowment for a newborn, more so one who was not of pureblood.

With his bout of paroxysm, Kyungsoo’s stamina was exhausted. The swirling mana no longer had the ability to burst, only trickling out. Sans the turbulence that pushed and pulled the energy surrounding Kyungsoo, he too, fell.

Siwon caught the newborn, careful so they didn’t crash on Baekhyun.

When Kyungsoo’s tail touched Baekhyun’s skin on his descend, it instinctively curled around Baekhyun. The black dragon recognised the mana channelling in the silver dragon. The familiarity provided him solace, containing the tumultuous state he was in. His rapid heart rate began stabilise, thudding in a more relaxed rhythm.

The depleted Baekhyun accepted the touch and the raw mana channelled through the tail. Slowly, he regained his colour and strength. Wanting more of the rejuvenating energy, Baekhyun grabbed the tail and dug his dragon fingers around the fur to get to Kyungsoo’s skin.

Like that, the two once again were attached to each other.

\--

By the looks of the situation, Kate knew they were out of depths. Kyungsoo was a dragon, albeit a hybrid with the felid blood mixed in, he was definitively a dragon. A creature requiring things none of the Dohs was of knowledge in. They were out of depths. However, they didn’t plan on dumping Kyungsoo in the hands of strangers. The dragons shouldn't know about such a hybrid either.

Kyungsoo was their family, their responsibility, their treasure. They will take care of their own to their best capabilities. Even so, they were not obstinate enough to not ask for help.

While the two were oblivious to the rest of the world, the Dohs approached the dragons. They needed to discuss. Establishing that it was not the best place for such a private discussion, with the Doh’s home closer than the clan’s base, they decided to move there. Because the plight had been managed, other than Siwon, Donghae, Sehun, Baekhyn and their bodyguards, the rest of the dragons took their leave. Not one of them minded any of the royalties as they left.

Before making their way, Seojin being part of the royal blood himself had to give face to the monarchs. He didn’t want to give any ammunition for the monarchs to use against them. More so in such a delicate circumstance. So, following the ingrained protocols, he went to ask for their leave from the monarchs, promising to give them a proper report after things were ironed out. Once they received the permission, uncaring of the rest of the occupants, they retired.


End file.
